PAINting: Update

All pictures should expand if you click on them.

Not too long ago I was talking about my backlog and wanting to finish up the High Elfs I had so I could start on the Island of Blood models.

Specifically, the issue was the Silver Helms, a unit so bad it rivals the Forsaken for outright not just uselessness, but counter-productive to take.

Still, they had to be painted...and now, as you see here, they are.



I will never argue they are a spectacular looking unit...then again, I will never claim anything I paint is spectacular looking. A shaky hand and lack of skill see to that. But they are a unit that, circumstances permitting, I would not be embarrassed to put on the table.

I also decided to magnetize and base the Repeater Bolt Thrower (Eagle Claw).




I also made a base for what would be a 50-strong unit of Lothern Sea Guard. 35 shots per turn and a potential of 50 attacks...unlikely, but possible (51 if unit champ gets 2, do not remember at moment), albeit just S3, plus I think it is kind of a cool look with the mix of spears and bows.

I also painted a unit of Swordmasters from the Island of Blood. There is actually a difference between that unit and the ones above.

I went deeper into the color bank, using I think 9 different colors...though admittedly that includes 2 blues and 3 purples.

They fit well with the Dragon Princes, who I believe were the group I had previously invested the most time and energy in painting.

I also finished up the hero models.

So overall I think it is a decent looking army. Now the issue is putting together a list I actually want to play. I have been toying with a list that revolves around a Level 4 Life mage and a level 1 or 2 Beast mage. In theory, I could then end up with the center unit (the 50 lothern) rolling in with S4, T7...of course, that relies on the Winds of Magic being strong, my opponent being unable to stop anything and forgetting to dispel it on his own turn...

In other words, it is a BAD army list. But at the moment, it is the only one I can come up with...




And on the bright side, all the high-profile painting is done. Time to get a list built and get down to playing!

The Painting Schedule of Chaos

I cannot imagine why this post would interest anybody but me. I just want some sort of benchmark to see where I started and how the year ended.

Since I am picking up the better half after I get off work tomorrow, I am probably done painting for the year. For no apparent reason, I decided to look back and see how I did...but only one army.

Chaos.

Se, on March 26th, I elected to go with Hordes of Chaos since Chad would be playing the Wood Elf army, Cris the Vampire Counts, Rick or Josh the Dwarfs, and the other the Goblins.

Played a proxy game on March 30th.

By April 5th, I had received 12 painted Chaos Warriors and a couple painted Chaos Sorcerers from Ebay.

On April 29th, the first units I painted myself for Chaos took part in a battle..2 Knights in our Warbands Escalation experiment. Below you can see them in action against the Ogre Kingdoms from that escalation campaign.

I have mentioned previously and often a few things. I really do not care much for the assembling and painting aspects. To me, every second spent assembling or painting is a moment spent NOT playing or reliving classic games. So I was curious how much I got done on my Chaos army between the moment I decided to play them and today.

For round numbers, we are going to say it has been 9 months...long enough for a man and woman to have....several lunches together.

In that time, I have painted the following:

10 Chaos Warhounds

24 Chaos Warriors

36 Chaos marauders

5 Chaos Horse Marauders

20 Chaos Knights

3 Chaos Dragon Ogres

5 Forsaken (really Pink Horrors, but...whatever. Warriors of Chaos do not get those, and Forsaken have no model I am aware of)

A Dragon Ogre Shaggoth

Galrauch, the First Chaos Dragon

A Mounted Chaos Sorcerer

Sigvald the Magnificent

Chaos Lord on Juggernaut

Of those, the following are based in what will be my "correct" basing...the Black sand/silver rock alignment:

16 chaos Marauders

5 Chaos knights

12 Chaos Warriors

5 Chaos marauder horsemen

3 Chaos Dragon Ogres

5 are based using green sand (Chaos Knights)

So the totals:

108 painted

46 based

I also did my first conversion, creating "great Weapons" for the Chaos Warriors by giving them weapons from the Chaos Knight kits. Good looks at that unit are available here, and the pictures expand upon clicking.

Overall, I am quite pleased. This does not count the Dwarf, Wood Elf, or Goblin figures I painted as well, nor the modified Standard bearer and Sorcerer on Disc that are 90%+ completed...just actual Chaos figures started and finished this year.

Except for one unit of Knights that I went with Gold and Silver armor, the army stuck with the theme of black with red tones...whether the "red tones" were actually red, were purple, orange, or some combination thereof.

I am more confident in modifications, have worked out how I want to base them, and even found some level of confidence in assembling even metal figures using epoxy (though the work Space Monkey is doing is still vastly superior!)

Here is a look at the marauders about 30% painted (left), Sigvald and my first Warriors mixed with a sorcerer and some Chaos Warriors from ebay with Sigvald leading them (center) and 10 of the Knights with some Marauders in the back right corner. Pretty fair look at my painting from beginning up to about a month ago as far as quality.

Last but not least, looking ahead: what do I want to accomplish in 2010?

In a perfect world...

I would like to acquire and paint for Chaos the following:

Chaos Lord on d-mount.

Wulfrik the Wanderer

2 - 3 more units of Chaos Marauder horsemen

24 more Chaos Warriors

48 more Chaos marauders

a Chaos Chariot

a Giant

a hellcannon

- create a realistic Warshrine

Obviously, this is highly unlikely to happen as it represents about 401 dollars, not counting figuring out some stuff for the Warshrine.

It would, however, give me lots of flexibility in army building:

Hordes of marauders in small units to harass, seize table quarters, screen, etc.

the option of an all-cavalry army

a nearly all monster army option

and many, many more.

A more realistic goal would be to finish basing every Chaos model, finish painting and basing the Dwarfs, and fine-tune their forces to make them playable.

As well as maybe picking up a couple Warhawks, a couple Treekin, and maybe a spellsinger or two to complete the Wood Elf army.

I do need to keep a record of what I paint next year, though. I doubt I will match this years output...but hey, it could be fun trying.